


Always Watching, Never Reaching

by Browneyesparker



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Christmas Eve, Confessions, F/M, Holidays, Romance, movie quotes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 22:57:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Browneyesparker/pseuds/Browneyesparker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story 29 in my "That's How It Should Be" collection. He couldn’t take it anymore; the secrets that he was keeping were about to make his heart burst. He needed to tell her. . . needed to show her how he felt. Quote is from "Love, Actually". Title from "Wrapped In Red" by Kelly Clarkson. </p>
<p>I don't own anything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Watching, Never Reaching

**“Let me just say without hope or agenda, just because it’s Christmas and at Christmas, you tell the truth. To me you are perfect and my wasted heart will always love you.”**

**Love Actually_**

_Introduction_

He couldn’t take it anymore; the secrets that he was keeping were about to make his heart burst. He _needed_ to tell her. . . _needed_ to show her how he felt. But she was keeping him at arm’s length, trying to prove that she didn’t need him anymore. Trying to prove that she was so much better off without him in her life. He felt the distance acutely but he still wasn’t ready to let her go. Not with a fight, not without saying all the things that needed to be said. If she rejected him, he’d accept it and finally try to move on.

Even if it was one of the hardest things he’d have to do.

**.**

Patrick Jane waited a second and then he knocked on her door. After what seemed like an eternity, Teresa Lisbon opened the door. It was now or never, time to make the courageous leap of faith and lay all of his cards on the table.

“Jane. . .”

“Don’t say anything,” he interjected. “I _need_ to tell you something.”

 “Jane, it’s Christmas Eve. All my brothers are here with their families”

“This,” he replied, “will only take a couple of minutes. Please Lisbon, I need to say something. Something I should have said a long time ago.”

“Reese, who’s at the door!?!?” Tommy called.

“Carolers!” Lisbon hollered back, she turned around and nodded. “Go on Jane.”

Jane sighed and looked her straight in the eyes. “Before I say anything, let me tell you that I’ve come here tonight without any expectations. It’s just that I’ve been keeping this a secret for so long. . . I _need_ to tell you, and Christmas Eve is a time to tell the truth. And the truth is Teresa, you’re perfect and I will _always_ love you.”

Lisbon looked at him in shock, completely startled by his revelation. It was like she had never suspected the truth, never realized that he loved her. “Jane—”

“Shhh!” He said. “You know the truth now. What happens next is up to you. If you reject me then I’ll never bring up my feelings for you again. If you, by some miracle, love me in return then I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the kind of man that you deserve. I promise.”

Lisbon was still reeling from his confession, but she collected herself enough to nod. Satisfied, he turned to leave. He was halfway down her driveway when what he had told her really sank in. Suddenly, she came to life.

“Patrick!” She shouted, running down the stairs to meet him, not caring that she was barefoot or the pavement was wet from the rain.

He turned around and looked at her, didn’t say anything. The shoe was on the other foot now, it was time for _her_ to act. And act, she did. She caught up with him, searched his eyes for a moment and then kissed him.

It was the kind of kiss that spoke of true longing. It made time stand still and the whole world disappear into a quiet oblivion. Jane could taste the _Starbucks Holiday Blend_ on her lips and for the first time in over a decade, he felt unequivocally whole. When the need for air became overwhelming, she pulled away. She caught her breath and caressed his face with her fingertips.

“Because it’s Christmas Eve and on Christmas Eve, you tell the truth. . . let me just say that I-I love you too,” Teresa whispered. “That I will _always_ love you.”

Jane choked, it sounded like a cross between a laugh and a cry. “That. . . _that_ is the best Christmas gift you could ever give me!”

Lisbon smiled at him and he leaned in to kiss her again. This time it was a little less serious than before, they were both happier than a pair of teenagers in love for the first time.

“I need to get back to my family,” she said. “Are you coming in?”

“I’d hate to intrude—”

Lisbon laughed. “You’re such a liar! Of course you want to intrude. But you wouldn’t be intruding, not today at least.”

“Well then, I guess I could cancel the other plans I had for this evening. They weren’t very important.”

“Good,” Lisbon said, slipping her hand into his and kissing him again, reveling in the fact that he looked years younger than he had when she had first opened the door.

“Reese!” Tommy shouted. “Are you done with those carolers yet!?”

“I’ll be right there!” Lisbon replied, turning to Jane and smiling at him hopelessly. “Come on, before my whole family comes out to see what’s going on.”

Jane nodded and allowed her to lead him back up to her house. He kissed her one more time, then she opened the door for him and he followed her inside, thankful that he was done loving her from afar, he was done never letting her see how he felt.

He’d finally let himself fall and it had been easy. It was going to be a very happy Christmas, the first one that he had had in a long time.

**_The End_**


End file.
